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Thursday, August 4, 2011

Game Back On??

My new phrase around our house...."oh, my ulcer."

G-man was quite upset over his rejection (and thank you all for your kind words). But something just didn't sit right with me. In less than 24 hrs, this all happened. In the 6 years we have been trying to move....24 hrs has NEVER happened. This led me to believe either 1) there were few applicants, 2) there were so many that they rushed through and didn't actual review the applications, or 3) this is an important job, so it move to status priority (unlikely).

I encouraged G-man to call and find out what happened. So he did....and the gist of the conversation was that the person did read the application, and only looked for key words. Didn't read it for content. One sticking point was using a "scanner." Well, the job posting didn't say do blah blah blah with a scanner...it was sort of ambiguous. So because he didn't say "using a scanner", he got dinged. The guy conceded on that one.

The second sticking point was regarding coming up with protocol for something. Which G-man does. But on a resume, you aren't going to spell out the step by step of the protocol. So he got dinged.

It is a game of semantics.

The guy agreed to talk to someone about reconsidering the application. And this is where my ulcer enters the picture. G-man is terrible at being forceful about things. So it was left quite open ended. I told him to send an e-mail follow-up (which he did) and if he didn't hear from the guy by mid day today, to call again. (I would have liked this settled yesterday!!).

G-man talked to his HR person, and she said this happens alot. The reviewer doesn't read for content, just for word use. So alot of application are probably rejected over semantics. How stupid to be rejected over the choice of word????

If they reconsider the application, it will be forwarded to the hiring authority at the field office. If they don't then it truly is over for this go around.

I know several of you said "this seems so hard....maybe it isn't worth it or it isn't the right time." Maybe. But it has been like this every time. I don't foresee that going away. And while there are certainly some major obstacles, I see so much positive that can come from all of this.

Hoping to have an answer by COB today!!!

Update: I swear, I am going to need a blood transfusion from my bleeding ulcer. Spoke to the HR guy, who, as I suspected....did NOT bring it to the supervisor, but asked another Generalist to look at it (another one who is only going to look at key words). So G-man asked to have the SUPERVISOR look at it. And unfortunately gave them until COB TOMORROW to get back with us. I am guessing the Generalist didn't want to bring the supervisor into this because he could get in trouble. If the super says NO, then it is over. But I don't understand how the #2 guy in charge of the office (here in CT), who reviewed all of this said it was great, and then this is what happens.

8 comments:

Good Luck! Job hunting is so hard. I have been looking since January. The hard part is i am 24 and have no idea what i want to do with my life. I have a degree but have never known what i want to do with it. I have applied to SO MANY jobs. I honestly cant even count. I have changed my resume and cover letter many times but still nothng. I know i am a great employee and anyone would be lucky to have me but it gets depressing. I know im lucky to have a job but its still hard. Good luck to him.

I can't remember what I am suppose to do with my fingers but I am wishing you tons of luck. I know I was one of those people who said maybe it isn't the right time, but you really want this and I know you will make it all work out.

Good-luck! I hope G-man gets an interview. Experts recommend you directly make contact with the "hiring authority", even as you follow the protocol of sending in resume etc. It's not always easy, to find out who will make the final decision; but it is so worth the effort. Especially if you make a good impression, even in a phone call. Otherwise you are left at the mercy of a lowly HR person.

MIsti, Im new to your blog. And Im unsure what type of government job this is. That said, most federal applications actually go througha computer program which recognizes certain code words with reference to the job. The best solutionis to look specifically at the job description and use those code words as often as possible. For example, in my field words like facilitated get recognized by the program..

@Barb - yes we are all too familiar with the computer program that recognizes words. We made sure that the key words were in the application, however there was a person who also looked at this, and HE is the one that screwed us. Things like "use a scanner" when that wasn't part of the posting.